Udsidedown
by AnMarie10
Summary: Lissy is quiet and hesitant about using magic, then one conversation with her cause James to rethink everything he believes in.
1. Chapter 1

James thought that it was going to be another normal year at Hogwarts, how wrong was he. Lissy, the quiet girl had just sat down next to him one morning at breakfast. The only thing that could make this odder is what she said next, "Don't you ever wish you could just leave all this magic stuff behind?"

James was stunned, he had never thought about that, give up magic, what absurd notion was this? Magic ran through their veins it was in their very fabric of being, how could he just leave it behind? Snap his wand in half and start living like a muggle, this was the last thing on James mind. "Um, I guess not, why do you ever think about it?" James retorted trying to not sound confused.

"Oh yes, all the time, I don't really like magic much, I guess that's why I never really did well here. My mom is a muggle and really disagrees about magic. My father is all for me learning more about it. I didn't really want to come here and my dad thought it was a shame if I didn't take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about it. The final agreement was that I had to come here for three years and if I decided I didn't like it after that I could go back to being homeschooled with my brothers and sisters. After this year I'm not coming back. I decided this in my first year here. I decided that magic was the devil's work and that the way to God isn't through magic but through worshiping Him all the time and living simply and for Him alone. I guess I take after my mom more in that matter. My mom is Catholic and my dad, well I don't really know what my dad believes, I don't even know if he knows," she ended with a thoughtful expression on her face.

James was stunned; he had never thought about God before or ever knew anybody who really did. He went along with eating his toast so he could think of a response. "That's um, an interesting view point. Whose this God person you talked about?" he asked.

"You've never heard of God or Jesus Christ?" she asked astonished.

"Um no, should have, you should know I never listen in History of Magic," he responded now even more confused.

"Oh no, they would never talk about Jesus here. He is my savior and friend. He will be your friend too if you give you open your heart to him and let him," she said taking a bite of egg.

"How do you know this Jesus guy?" James asked.

"Through church, the Bible and being raised in a Christ-center environment," she said simply.

"Um okay, so how did he save you exactly?" he asked.

"By giving his life for me and dying on the cross for my sins," she said as though this was common knowledge where she came from.

"Ok, how can you believe it though?" he asked hoping to make her go quiet so he could mull his thoughts over, but no she had a response.

"Some say magic doesn't exist but apparently we can use it. Here, read this, it explains everything, I would suggest with starting with, Genesis, the Gospel of John, psalms, proverbs, and the acts of the Apostles," she said handing him a book that was at least three inches thick.

"Um thanks, can I give it back to you when I'm done?" he asked.

"Of course, if you have any more questions, just ask, if you want to pray about things, try not to think so much but let your soul do the talking for you," she said, picking up her bag and leaving him to mull things over until his friends arrive down from the tower for breakfast.


	2. Chapter 2

**I only own Lissy and other characters not mentioned by J. K. Rowling. I'm also not trying to tell you what to do believe, so don't get offended by the view points of the story.**

James for the first time in his entire life, unless you count comic books, was engrossed by a book. He didn't know why, the book was like a big history lesson, but he just couldn't put it down. The book caused him to think and examine issues, like the value of life, in a way he had never considered to look at them before.

He started with the Gospel of John like Lissy had suggested. He had never really known the story behind Christmas or why they celebrated it, he wasn't too fussed with the matter before. All he cared about was that he got out of school and presents. Now he understood. He realized that there was more to the things he enjoyed than he realized. When he reached the end of the Gospel of John, he didn't know what to think anymore about Easter, it was sad that they killed Jesus when he did nothing wrong, and he guessed it was cool that he rose again. Now he officially confused.

That evening he found Lissy as usual sitting by herself in the common room reading a book. For the first time he looked at the book that she was reading. It was called, _Miracles for Teens Today_. He wondered what the book was about; he made a mental note to ask about it later. "Hey Lissy, I started to read the Bible," he said quietly afraid that some other people might hear him.

"Did you understand it all?" she asked, flipping a page in her book.

"Um, no I didn't get this one part it says, '"Woman, behold your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.'" He read.

"Of course you choose to start with the verse that causes much disagreement between Catholics and Christians. Catholics don't only rely on the Bible, but tradition, to guide us. Throughout the generations, we can trace the starting of our church right back to Peter, the first pope. Tradition says that Jesus meant, Mom, take care of the disciples, disciples take care of my mom. While other branches of Christianity rely on only the Bible, so they interpret that as meaning that James, the disciple talked about, odd name coincidence, being the brother of Jesus. That would mean though that Mary isn't a virgin, which would make her not the Blessed Virgin Mary anymore. That's where the church has some indecision," Lissy said, still not putting the book down.

"Um, okay, am I supposed to understand it all?" he asked still confused.

"No, that's why we have Bible Studies at church to help us dissect different parts of the scripture. Try to read the Book of Genesis. That book is rather interesting I find, or the Book of Exodus, that one has a lot to do with the Jewish faith. I think I'll go to bed now," she said finally closing her book. "Goodnight James." With that she picked up her bag and headed off to the girls dormitories.

That night James stayed up late trying to read both the Book of Genesis and Exodus. No one bothered to look at what he was reading; they just assumed that it was a book he had to read for class the next day or something. The next morning, he waited for Lissy outside the girls dormitories, after what his father telling him what happened to Ron when he tried to go up into the girls dormitories in their fifth year, he didn't want to risk it.

When she descended the stairs finally she looked completely awake and perky. "Good morning James, isn't it a fine day that the Lord has given us?" she asked.

"Um, yeah, sure," he said, he had never heard anyone talk about the days like that before.

By the circles under your eyes I assume you read both Genesis and Exodus last night after we talked," she said striding off towards the portrait hole.

"Yeah I did, and to tell you the truth I think that the Israelites were stupid. After all God did for them, they abandon Him once they're in the dessert trying to find the promise land. I don't know if I could be as forgiving as God is, I would have just wanted to reach my hand down and slap them all in the face if I were Him and had gave them so much," he said.

"Yes well, we're only human not God, so we don't really have that authority to judge the actions of God. All we can do is to try to live our lives the most honorable way that we can and pray to God and keep our faith strong no matter what obstacles are put in our way. That's the only way I get through a day sometimes here, is to remember that God is always there for us when we need Him whether we realize it or not," she said descending the marble staircase and heading towards the great hall.

"I never looked at it that way," he said.

"Most people don't especially magical people. I was raised to honor God and to give Him everything I got. You were not. That's what makes life so interesting, living with people who don't always agree the same thing. It makes it more of a challenge," she said sitting down at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey James, come over here, you've got to see this latest picture of that muggle who somehow got a hold of a guys wand, it's hilarious," Trevor one of James friends shouted from down the table.

"I'll be there in a minute," he yelled back.

"Sorry, I haven't spent much time with them since we started to talk. I don't know if I can anymore though. I mean, it kind of all just seems stupid now," he finished lamely.

"Go, we all need our friends, all of our friends, Jesus didn't just have one disciple he had many. Go look at the picture you know where to find me when you want to talk. Just flip through the Bible, you can always find something interesting in it," she said before pulling out a book in an obvious dismissal. James was confused but went off to join his friends, though now, he didn't really seem amused by the things that once made him roar with laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the day James hung out with his regular friends and pretended to be doing homework but in reality he was really reading the Bible. He was learning so much just from reading it. It talked about the difference between right and wrong and how to be a good person. He realized that he should be thankful for instead of complaining all the time which he usually did.

His friends didn't really say much to him the first day, and they started giving him odd looks the second, but by the third day of him constantly reading the Bible, they were starting to get a little fed up. "What's up mate?" they kept asking him.

He would just shrug and say that one of his other friends wanted him to read this book and he really like it. If they asked who this friend was however he would just ignore the question and continue reading.

After not talking to her for three days James had a lot of questions to ask Lissy. The next morning at breakfast he sat with her at lunch. She smiled when he sat down and asked, "How have you've been?"

"Pretty good, how about you?" he said reaching for some toast.

"Oh okay, I got a note from home saying that my twin younger sisters showed signs of magic yesterday. I don't think they understand it though. They just don't understand what's happening to them and they're scared from what their letter said. I told them to read Psalm 23," she said.

"What does psalm 23 say again?" James asked now biting into some eggs.

"My favorite part of it, verse four says, 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, comfort me'. Doesn't that verse just make you feel better?" she asked.

"Yeah it does, hey what does the Bible say about magic?" James asked.

"Isaiah chapter 44 verse 25 says, 'Is it I who bring to nought the omens of liars, who make fool of diviners; I turn wise men back and make their knowledge foolish.' Do you understand what that means?" she asked.

"Not really," he said.

"To me, it means, I make their magic worthless and make diviners look like idiots. I make the wise come to their senses and make their beliefs unwise," Lissy said.

"Oh, so you mean that God makes magic look impractical and stupid. That he turns fortune tellers into frauds. Then in the end God takes the wise back into the fold?" James asked.

"Yeah, hasn't he already shown you that?" Lissy asked.

"I guess he has," James said. "Why doesn't anybody else here get that?"

"Either a, no one ever told them that there is a God out there that loves them and wants to help them, b, they never cared enough to look into it, c, they were told that's what the muggles do because they don't have magic, or d, they're afraid they're wrong so they keep God out of their hearts because they don't understand," she said simply.

"Then why am I so special to know Him? To know what Jesus did for us? How he died to save us from our sin, how we are so loved by God that he would do anything for us? What makes me so special that I get to know Him?" James asked.

"James, because you can help others find Him, you have compassion and understanding. You are also so brave. You opened up your heart and let God in and people may try to say that you're wrong, but you know inside what's right. James, God knows you and will always help you. You are the one who can help others; you can show how much God loves you and have people listen. God gave you leadership; you go to know Him so you could bring others back to the fold. Now all you have to do is find the courage to use it," Lissy said. She stood up and left James in his thoughts.

James stood up and walked out of the Great Hall. Since it was Saturday and he didn't have to go to class, he walked out towards the lake. He walked around the lake a few times thinking and praying over what Lissy had said. It was true; people listened to him when he spoke. If he told them something they listened and believed him. Now he had to find the strength to use it for God. This was going to be hard.

When he started to get hungry again he headed back up to the castle for lunch. When he reached the entrance hall, his friends called out to him. He waved and started to walk towards them. "Hey, James, where have you been all morning, we couldn't find you," James friend Robert asked.

"Walking by the lake," he said.

"All morning, that's insane and where were you at breakfast too?" Tim asked him.

"Yes I was out all morning, and at breakfast I was sitting with Lissy," James to them.

"Why?" Duncan asked.

"She's nice and we're friends. She's so different from everyone else. She's nice and she takes the time to find out what I want and not just what she thinks I want," he told them.

"Mate, we do that," Tim said.

"Not like she does. She showed me someone that we all need to know. She taught me how to find strength to know Him. She gave me the Bible which is the root of it all. I'm not the same guy I was," James said.

"Okay, by that guy we all need to know, you're not what I think I'm thinking are you?" Duncan asked nervously.

"No, I'm talking about Jesus Christ," James said.

"Who?"

"Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came down to save us. The man who died on the cross for our sins, the one who is our friend and Lord," James said.

"Okay James, are you sure you didn't hit your head, we could take you to Madam Pomfrey," Robert said.

"I'm fine, actually I'm great. I know the Lord, he calls me a friend and I am saved," James said. With that he walked towards Lissy who was waving at him from the Gryffindor table.


End file.
